‘We’ve gone through enough’
Moya blasts vandals who damaged Corona Christmas display two days after debut
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.2 COM | DEC. 11-DEC. 17, 2020
Photos by Gabriele Holtermann
BY BILL PARRY
Just how much misery can
one neighborhood take in a
single year?
As local Councilman Francisco
Moya attempted to bring
holiday cheer to a neighborhood
that has been ravaged by
the COVID-19 pandemic since
becoming the “epicenter of the
epicenter” at the virus’ peak
in the spring, vandals took the
opportunity to trash the display
two days after its debut.
Because “we can’t be together
like we normally are
during the holidays,” Moya
pushed to transform the 40th
annual tree lighting ceremony
at William F. Moore Park into
an unprecedented Wonderland
Holiday theme designed
by artist Yesenia Calle.
“It is like an awakening of
the human spirit in our neighborhood,”
Moya said. “And it
makes me very excited that
we are bringing this here to
Corona.”
The Winter Wonderland
installation was adorned with
thousands of lights, more than
25 dazzling Christmas trees,
several interactive Christmas
scenes — including a family
of sparkling reindeer — and
a custom-built 14-foot Christmas
tree made of lights. The
park entrances on 108th Street
and at Corona Avenue were
illuminated with arches covered
in ornaments when the
display made its debut Friday,
Dec. 4.
“The Winter Wonderland
installation was inspired by
Councilman Moya’s desire to
bring much needed holiday
cheer to neighborhoods impacted
by the pandemic,” Calle
said. “I wanted to do my part
by designing the display that
could offer a way to escape,
find joy and bring a sense of
renewal during the holidays.
That’s how the Winter Wonderland
installation came to
life. It makes them feel like
they have somewhere to go,
feel together and not alone.”
But by Sunday morning,
the display had been partially
trashed by vandals. Holes
were punched in the tree of
lights as others were bent to
the ground and lights and
ornaments were smashed to
pieces, according to Moya,
who discovered the damage
and was crestfallen. He denounced
the vandals and encouraged
peace and vowed to
repair the damage.
“We’ve gone through
enough,” Moya said. “We need
peace and not vandals looking
to destroy our neighborhoods
and the things that make it
beautiful.”
The park has been cleaned
up and is open to the public
while repairs continue. Meanwhile,
there was additional
vandalism at Moya’s district
office where damage was done
to an exterior holiday display.
“We need peace, not vandalism
in our neighborhoods.
If the issue is with me, that’s
one thing, it’s another thing
to want to destroy the artwork
outside my district office and
vandalize the Winter Wonderland
installation at William
F. Moore Park that had
so much work, resources and
love put into for our community,”
Moya said. “We are not
going to let this bring down
our spirits and I am grateful
for the outpouring of support
from the community looking
to help restore the damage.
We are going to build it back
bigger and better.
Police said an investigation
into the vandalism incident is
underway.
Additional reporting by
Gabriele Holtermann.
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